The Night of Disappearance
On the evening of Friday, May 9, 1986, at around 8:00 PM, Sharron Phillips was reported missing to the Goodna police by her mother, Dawn Phillips. Sharron, a vibrant 20-year-old, had vanished without a trace.
Earlier that day, her father and brother had discovered Sharron’s yellow Datsun Bluebird Sedan, registration 463-PKH, abandoned next to the inbound lanes of Ipswich Road near the Wacol Migrant Centre and Wacol Army Camp. The vehicle, out of petrol, was locked with the keys missing, presenting the first puzzle piece in what would become one of Queensland’s most enduring mysteries.
Last Known Activity
Sharron’s last confirmed activity was a reverse charge telephone call to a male friend from a public phone box on Wacol Station Road at 12:03 AM on May 9, 1986. This call was the final clue before she vanished, and it led to a comprehensive yet fruitless homicide investigation. Despite extensive efforts, Sharron’s body was never found, and there was insufficient evidence to charge any individual with her disappearance.
A Break in the Case
In March 2016, a significant breakthrough emerged. Ian Seeley contacted the Homicide Investigation Unit, providing detailed information about Sharron’s murder. He accused his father, Raymond Peter Mulvihill, of the crime. Cold Case Detectives corroborated Seeley’s account through Mulvihill’s known movements and alleged confessions to family members.
Raymond Mulvihill had died of cancer in 2002, but the Queensland Police Service (QPS) advised the Coroners Court in October 2017 that, based on the available evidence, Mulvihill would have been arrested for Sharron’s murder if he were still alive.
Closure and Continued Mystery
The posthumous accusation against Raymond Mulvihill brought a semblance of closure to the Phillips family, who had endured decades of uncertainty and grief. However, the absence of Sharron’s remains and the inability to bring her alleged murderer to justice continue to haunt those involved in the case.